NOTES: 
Keith Williams of Bartlesville, OK sent us some detailed plans of a 1936 era  Flyer which is a 135 cu.in. class step-hydroplane. This is a great design by Bruce Crandall. Due to space restrictions, we will cover this item in more detail in a future issue.
 We received a nice letter of thank you from Cecil and Dick Sooy. Cecil tells us that “It was great to see how many people spoke to Dick about the article. Some, of course, remembered the start of the (280) class. There were so many who weren’t even around at that time that it made us realize just how many years have gone by since Dick first became interested in boat racing." 

CHALLENGES: 
We have had a response from Jack Schafer of Newport Beach, CA. He tells us that Bill Trent, current owner of the Sizzler, can contact Roger Stull. Roger is the President of Penhall International, at P.O. Box 4609, Anaheim, CA 92801 (714) 772-6450.  Roger used to race an E Racing Runabout back when Leroy Penhall was involved with boat racing. Perhaps he can help. Leroy’s son, Bruce is currently racing Offshore Boats. 
  Jack also tells us that the San Francisco Airport - United Airlines Terminal has on display a dozen or so restored Outboard Racing boats. They are from the 20’s through the 50’s and a lot of those old Johnson and Evinrude PR-40 & 50 engines. Jack says that they really look great and appear to be in running condition.

RACE SITES:  Bad News!!! Sky High Regatta Lake Tahoe, CA. Mr. Steve Lapkin, General Manager, decided at the last minute not to sanction this as an APBA Vintage event. It appears that money was the problem. We apologize to our members who went to this event thinking that it was an APBA function. So it looks like we are still trying to come up with a major west coast event for our Legends of the West Reunion for 1997. It is too late for ‘95. We are open to suggestions from all.

REPORTS: 
Sylvan Lake, July 16th, was a record breaking event for the Vintage Division. The oldest rookie in the history of APBA,  took to the water for his first driving experience at the young age of 92. Mr. Bill Wanderer drove the vintage 135 cu. in. hydroplane Lauterbach Special Shake Rattle n Roll. Bill ran the boat for several laps on the approved for records course and on each lap he improved his speed. Bill has helped many racers for over 40 years. He has designed and built fuel injection systems, machined motor mounts and couplings and generally master minded installations of engines in all classes of hydroplanes. Even though Bill owned many 150 ci hydros, this was the first time that he has ever driven a raceboat. Upon the completion of his historic run, Bill returned back to the pits only to be greeted by the thundering ovation from  his friends,  the fellow competitors and the crowd.

BOB SILVA’S WEST COAST REPORT:    FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY - SING LIKE A BEE
 They were little 9 foot alky burners, so lightweight they could be carried on top of the family station wagon. The engine had less than 50 cubic inches and came from an American automobile that was the forerunner of today’s compact cars. Most drivers knelt and used a hand throttle. In 1955 there were 160 registered owners, making it the APBA’s most popular inboard class of the time. You may have guessed that I’m referring to the 48 cu. in. hydros - the precursor to the 850 c.c. and 1 Litre modified classes. When the methanol powered, 4 cyclinder Crosleys ran up the back stretch together, people said the unique exhaust note sounded like a swarm of giant bumblebees in pursuit of an invisible intruder. The father of the 48 hydro was John Peek of Port Arthur, Texas. Created in the early 1950’s, the class became very popular nationwide with development help from Eastern racer Mulford Scull and California partners Lou Meyers Sr.,(3 time Indy 500 winner) and Dale Drake. Speeds for the 48s jumped from 60 mph in 1951 to 80 plus in just 2 years, and by 1963 Mickey Remund reached an impressive 97 mph with Doc Eastman’s Piranha.
 In 1953, Gillette Smith won the 48 Nationals in Beaumont, Texas, which brought the Nationals out to California for the first time. In 1954, the 48s held their Nationals at Long Beach. But the tight course proved too dangerous for the 13 boat field when Kenny Ingram was seriously injured in a 1st heat accident. Smith was able to repeat as champion with Kenny Harmon’s Tinker Toy and in 1958 the Nationals moved to the roomier Salton Sea. There, underdog George Moniz of Hayward, California pulled off an upset win in his Undecided II, beating such top dogs as Seattle’s Jack Colcock, New York’s Bill Shicora, and F.C. “Doc” Moor of Miami, while defending champ Smith scored two D.N.F.s.
 1956 saw the 48s move to Northern California’s Lake Yosemite, where Colcock swept both heats in Racket II. Guntersville, Alabama won the bid for the ‘57 Nationals where Colcock was defeated by Doc Moor’s Southern Air IV. Seattle’s bid returned the championships to the West Coast for 1958. By the time the Nationals ran again on the West Coast at San Diego’s Mission Bay in ‘61 and ‘63, the little Crosley was becoming extinct, leading to their replacement with the 850 cc Fiat, which then evolved into the 1 Litre Modified class.
 If you have one of those little Crosley - powered hydros in storage today, you truuly have a classic boat on your hands.

VINTAGE HOT BOAT OF THE MONTH: 
Sis Y-9. The 1960 National Champion 48 cu.in. hydro. This homemade Colcock hull was owned and driven by S.E.(Sunny) Jones (deceased) of N. Miami Beach, FL. Sunny Jones was inducted into the APBA Honor Squadron in 1976. He was also a member of the Gulf Marine Hall of Fame and the Gulf 100 MPH Club. He was a holder of several World records and National Championships. Sunny’s contributions to power boat racing covered a wide spectrum, both as an active competitor and as a dedicated official and officer of the Association. He always had time to help the many newcomers to the sport and his advice was sought by drivers and officials alike.

CAPTION 2ND PICTURE:  Bill Wanderer, the oldest Rookie in APBA history, sitting in the cockpit, preparing for his historic run.

©1995 Tom D'Eath